The Neighborhood
by nurseholliday
Summary: Klaroline Au. Caroline's life is as perfect as it could possibly be. She has her dream job, two of the best friends a girl could ask for, and an apartment some would commit homicide to get. Everything is going exactly the way it should, until she discovers she has a new neighbor hell bent on robbing her of her sleep and her sanity. The neighborhood will never be the same.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

* * *

Life was Good.

More than good. If it didn't sound downright narcissistic and totally vapid she would gladly proclaim out loud that her life was 100% perfect.

She had been working at her dream job now for almost five years. In the time she had been employed with Gilbert Events and Designs she had worked her way up from being a mere part time consultant to, starting the first of April, the new partner. The announcement was still a few weeks out needing to get all the particular and financial aspects in order before spreading the news that there would be another boss around, but all in all she was satisfied completely with the way things had panned out. In fact, she was partially certain Elena, the owner, was afraid of her. Perhaps that's the reason why she was elevated to partner with barely having to ask for it.

It obviously would've happened eventually.

Caroline Forbes was the controller of her own destiny.

Actually, Caroline Forbes had a thing about control.

Over the course of her life many people had pointed out Caroline's Type A personality. _Why are you so controlling? Can't you just chill out? The world is not going to end because a flower arrangement was misarranged._ But she worked very very hard to make sure things turned out the way they should and that was the reason she was so good at her job. That was one of the reason's she had eight times the clientele that any other Planner at Gilberts, and that was the reason why she was the most sought after and highest paid. Ever since she was Miss Mystic Falls back in the tiny town in Virginia Caroline liked to make sure that she put everything she could into every event that she planned, in every cheer routine she choreographed, hell even in the way she curled her hair in the morning. With enough planning, with enough work, anything could be made perfect.

So saying that Caroline's life was perfect was as accurate a word as any she herself could come up with.

She had a great car, a huge closet, two wonderful best friends who annoyed her incessantly but she honestly couldn't live without, a loving mother she called every week, and an apartment that would make Better Homes and Garden's swoon, and now she was partner.

Partner.

She almost couldn't believe it. Almost.

The shrill ringing of her phone from inside of her purse pierced the air, dragging her head first from her musings. She quickly fumbled inside the black Michael Kors bag before pulling the screeching device out. _ Rebekah. Again. _She took a deep breath, plastering a fake smile on her face as she slid the unlock button and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Caroline Forbes speaking."

"Caroline I can't do this anymore. I can't. The wedding is off. It's over! I'm done." She resisted the urge to roll her eyes as the familiar lilting accent filtered through the speakers of her phone. Rebekah, once of her June brides and was beyond a handful, every single week was another disaster that prevented her from marrying one of the sweetest men she had ever met.

"Rebekah," she said calmly. "Calm down. Tell me what happened."

Tearful sobs filled the silence.

"It's just so hard. Stefan's brother hates me! Hates me for no reason! Absolutely no reason at all! I have never done a single thing to him ever. I have always gone out of my way to make sure that he was accommodated; I even got him invited to a aristocracy house party even though he was so obviously not up to caliber with the other guests…"

Caroline wasn't much for wagering, but she had a good idea why Damon wasn't Rebekah's biggest fan.

"...How can I marry into a family who won't accept my gracious charity. How can I marry into a family where the only person who is even mildly mannered is Stefan. It's over."

For one thing, using the word Charity wasn't helping things.

"Rebekah," she said in the same soothing voice. "You need to remember that you are not marrying Stefan's family. You are marrying Stefan, the man that you love more than anything else in the entire world."

She paused, listening for the girl's reaction.

A sigh finally was her response. "I know." She huffed crossly.

"Also remember that Stefan didn't choose his family. No one gets to choose the people they are related too. But he was able to choose you. He chose you over everyone else in the entire world. He chose you as the person that he wanted to spend the rest of forever with."

Another sigh answered her, a wistful one this time. "You're right. Of course you were right. He does love me."

"Of course he does. Don't hold something against Stefan that he has no control over. Don't you sometimes get frustrated with your relatives?"

"You don't know the half of it." The biting sarcasm was a good indicator that the crisis was officially diverted.

"Exactly. Everything is going to be fine. The love that Stefan and you have is so rare and beautiful. Remember every time his brother says or does anything how much Stefan means to you, and all the reasons that you are marrying him."

"Oh Caroline, you always know exactly what to say!" Her relieved voice gushed over the phone. Caroline leaned forward placing her hand over her eyes and rubbing her temples. "Thank you so much! I don't know what I would do without you!"

"It's no problem. You know that if you ever need anything you can call me. I was just about to call your caterer to confirm the menu too! It's almost as if you knew I was thinking about you."

She could practically hear the preening through her voice.

"Perfect! I was wondering if you had heard anything else from the florist? I know we changed the arrangement from Roses to Lily's but I'm starting to lean back towards Roses…."

She stifled the exasperated sigh. _And it begins again. _

* * *

"Honey I'm HOME!" She called as she opened the door to her apartment. "Oh wait I forgot I'm not married."

Cliché'd maybe. But she had always found the inside joke pretty amusing. She tossed her keys into the bowl and her purse on the hallway sidebar before launching the door closed behind her with the sheer force of her foot. With the resounding clack of her heels against the hardwood she walked down the hall to the large open area of her kitchen and living room. Light filtered in through the large wall of windows that overlooked LA making the room glow a brilliant orange. She placed the bag she had carried with her through her home on the counter before parting the filmy gauze and pulling out the black box.

As she removed the Stark White lid emblazoned with MANOLO BLAHNIK she felt her heart speed up again as she caught sight of her recent purchase.

These shoes, these shoes were made to seduce.

Blood red, dozens of straps, a heel so high it could practically be illegal. She couldn't resist they're siren call as she eyed them with the kind of hunger that poets wrote about. Removing her plain black heels she wiggled the sinful shoes onto her feet before letting them completely take over her. Here in these shoes she wasn't the boring Planner who ironed her socks. Right now as she ran her hands down the tight line of her pencil skirt she was nothing but a sheer and utter sexpot!

She snorted. Sex?

Good one.

She wasn't even sure if she remembered what that was like.

It wasn't like she was avoiding it or anything, but being caught up in her career, her friends, her family, she just kind of … just forgot…. That sex was a thing.

That she liked it.

And that she could be having it.

And enjoying it.

But as she sidelined all relationships to focus on achieving her dreams a month turned into two, and then it turned into a year, and well…. The rest they say is history. _Ancient_ history.

Sex turned into a bit of a distant dream.

She shook her head as she toed off the shoes that screamed temptation and opened the door to the fridge. Sadly she was certain that there was no sex in her immediate future. Only cold leftover meatloaf for Dinner and a book about men who wore breeches and called women 'my lady'.

* * *

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Caroline came awake with a start, half convinced that the world was coming to an untimely end. Everything in her room was normal, the room dim, the door to the master bathroom ajar, the book and glass of water on the night stand.

Then what in all that is…

Thump.

She turned, rubbing her eyes and staring at the wall behind her in confusion.

Thump.

She glanced towards her alarm clock, the glowing numbers informing her that it was 3:14. She had never seen her neighbor before, never HEARD anything from them either. Wait wasn't the apartment next door vacant? Not anymore apparently. Then what in the world could they possibly be doing at this time of night?

And that's when it started.

"Oh baby! Oh baby! Baby, yes. Oh god baby. Baby. Uhhhhhh…. Oh baby yes, just like that baby. Please Baby. Mmmmmm baby. Baby. Baby."

She scoffed as the words filtered through the wall. Seriously?!

At 3 in the morning.

Thump.

She jumped back as her headboard moved.

Then without any warning it all stopped. She stayed perfectly still, ears straining for sound. Just when she was certain that they were finished and she would be able to burrow back under her covers and go back to sleep the floodgates opened and all hell broke loose.

"Baby yes! Oh baby yes! Oh baby fuck. Don't stop Baby. Don't stop! Baby! Baby! Baby! Baby! OOOHHHHHH." The last was a full on scream piercing octaves she wasn't even sure existed. A picture frame that had always taken place propped on the shelf above her bed clattered down smacking her directly on her head. Her headboard was literally banging against the wall behind her as the screaming continued. The glass figurines rattling towards their untimely end.

While she was holding the top of her head and inwardly cursing the unmistakable sound of a male voice groaning came through the wall.

"Oh god, Oh god baby yes! Klaus! Baby! Yes! Yes! Yes!

The night fell silent, the people next door clearly done with they're activities. When the pain on her head finally ceased she made it a point to glare venomously at the wall. What kind of people had the audacity….. In the middle of the night? Not even thinking about their neighbors!

She scoffed several times as she placed the picture back onto the shelf and shuffled back down in her bed.

One thing was for sure, she wouldn't be welcoming whoever the new douchebag was to the neighborhood anytime soon.

* * *

**A/N: I read a book like this recently called "Wallbanger" and I figured it would be a perfect base for a Klaroline story (also got informed that the book was originally a twilight fanfic, which I think is wicked cool). I posted this on Tumblr and decided that I should just continue it on into a full story. Let me know if you like it. Thanks :) **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

* * *

Caroline was exhausted.

She had hardly been able to sleep after having to endure overhearing the new neighbor's sexcapades last night. Instead of drifting lazily through dream land she had spent the remainder of the morning hours rolling around in circles amongst her sheets. By 6:30 she had given up the quest for more rest and opted for taking a shower instead. By eight she was already finishing off her fourth cup of coffee, even the additional caffeine didn't manage to de-fog her brain.

Whoever her new neighbors were, they needed a serious lesson in basic human etiquette. Seriously though, the girl could have woken up half of the city with her shrieking. She would simply have to file a complaint with the building's super and be done with the both of them.

There was only so many times a person could hear the word "baby" before they snapped. Caroline had always detested the moniker. Her ex-boyfriend Tyler had insisted on calling her "babe" at every opportunity, she had let him simply because he liked doing it so much. But in reality she had never felt like she fit as anyone's "babe" or "baby. She was glad for the girl for getting off, she was obviously doing better than Caroline was in that department. But the names? The baby's and klaus's were ridiculous How did she not know that? Had no one really tell her before? What in the world was a Klaus anyway? It didn't sound like anything she'd ever heard of before, especially something that would be done in the bedroom.

Whatever a Kkaus was, she was quite sure she did not want one.

Hmmm, she supposed she'd never know.

As the clock on her oven inched towards 8:30 she gathered her things for the day and made her way to the door. She gave herself a once over in the mirror in the hall before grabbing her keys and preparing herself for the inevitable traffic she'd encounter on the way into the office. As she adjusted the strap on her purse and reached for her doorknob, voices echoed in the hallway.

"I had a really great time last night Klaus."

There is was again? Klaus. That was someone's name? Who names there kid Klaus?

Instead of opening the door and giving them both a very large piece of her mind she pressed her eye through the peephole. Curiosity getting the better of her. The girl, "Baby", was on the shorter side, with blonde hair that was mussed beyond repair without a brush. She was dressed much more dowdily than Caroline had expected for someone who got their brains fucked out of them the night before.

"So did I?" The mystery man, Klaus was it? Replied in an unmistakably English accent.

Caroline felt her stomach dip a little bit from the sound, now that wasn't even close to fair. Men with accents did things to her, they had ever since she watched Pride and Prejudice in high school.

"Will you call me when you get back in town?" Caroline strained to see past the reach of her sight. What did this Klaus look like? This Klaus who apparently wasn't living with the girl he had bounced off the otherside of her bedroom wall last night. At least she wouldn't have to deal with that noise every single night.

"Of course I will." Her stomach flopped again. That voice, sweet jesus.

"Baby" leaned in for a kiss before giving a saucy little wave and turning to leave. Then the unmistakable sound of a door slowly clicking shut. Caroline waited a minute before twisting her door knob and entering the hallway. She assessed her new neighbors door for a moment before letting her shoes click down the hall, checking her watch she muttered a swear under her breathe. All she needed was to be late for being early.

As if the world was aware of her predicament her phone sounded and echoed through the stairwell. Without another thought she swiped the screen.

"Hello Meredith, I was just about to call you."

And just like that her work day had begun.

* * *

She had gotten off of work late that evening. But not late enough that she couldn't stop by her favorite delicatessen on the way home and pick up some fantastic dinner and a bottle of wine. As she relaxed as she often did, on her couch chewing food and sipping wine, watching turner classic movies and sighing over the Gene Kelley's and Clark Gables. It was as Singing in the rain started to wrap up that she heard footsteps on the landing outside of her door. Footsteps and two voices.

Springing from the couch she silently padded down her hall to the front door. Pressing her eye against the peephole once more she tried getting a look at her new neighbor. She missed him again apparently, only getting to see his back as he entered his apartment followed by a very tall woman with very long hair. A woman who definitely wasn't "Baby".

She scoffed loudly. _Two different women in two days? What a manwhore!_

Rolling her eyes she sauntered back to the couch to watch the next film losing herself in an era where film was actually film.

She resisted a sigh as Clark Gable's handsome face filled the screen. _To be born back then…_

A few hours later and a complete overhaul of the Fell's hospital benefit seating chart she made her way back to the bedroom to go to sleep. Slipping on her blue babydoll night gown she took a moment to eye her bed, then the wall it was currently pushed against. After a few seconds of contemplation she walked to the end of the bed before pulling hard on the wooden footboard. The bed slid a few precious inches away from the wall and with a satisfied nod Caroline made her way into her bedroom in order to complete her nightly routine.

Her thoughts drifted over to her new neighbor. Mr. Klaus-I'm-English-and-a-Manwhore.

What did he look like? He had to be somewhat attractive judging by the girls she'd seen leaving his apartment. But then again, accents are like beer goggles for women, he could be an utter troll.

Dragging the brush through her blonde locks she nodded firmly to her reflection in the mirror. Klaus the troll. It had a nice ring to it.

* * *

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

_Unbelievable…_

Caroline woke up a lot quicker this time around since this time she knew exactly what she was in for. She sat up in bed, glaring at the wall with enough hatred to melt it. She had pulled the bed safely away from the wall so she couldn't feel the banging this time around, but that didn't stop her from being able to hear whatever was moving over there.

Then she heard the smacking.

Was that….?

"Oh god yes, I'm a bad girl."

Oh god that was spanking. There was one thing that you could not mistake was the sound of a good spanking. A blush crept onto Caroline's cheeks as she assessed what was going on.

"I need to be punished Klaus. Oh yes."

She shouldn't be embarrassed by this it wasn't like she hadn't enjoyed a good spanking before. Sex was sex, and the best kind sometimes got a little adventurous, but overhearing someone else. Someone who was this close in proximity to her?

"Harder. Klaus. Harder. Yes. Just like that." The smacking grew louder.

Holy MOLY! The woman on the other side had an accent too. It wasn't like Klaus's, the woman's accent was very faint. It sounded…. Eastern European, maybe Russian? Polish maybe?

She shook herself. Was she seriously sitting awake at one in the morning attempting to figure out what country the woman getting plowed next door was from?

She pulled herself together, because all of the sudden she could hear Klaus moaning. His voice was low and thick, and while the woman was articulating exactly how she liked being punished she listened solely to him. He groaned, the wall banging began again and she could tell he was bringing it home. Heat flooded her as she listened to his voice.

A load scream signaled the woman's climax and finally the thumping stopped and there was silence once more.

After she was certain the round was finished next door she laid back down to try and regain her sleep. Forty Five minutes passed and she realized that sleep had no intention of coming.

The same couldn't be said for those next door.

This was the second time in 24 hours that Klaus the sex-super-star had robbed her of her dreams.

This, whatever this was, would not stand.

* * *

**A/N: Chapter 2. Three should be up in a second. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

* * *

"So you are telling me that the reason that you look like total shit is because some fuckface is railing his way through California's skank population?" Caroline choked on her wine. Her eyes bounced around to the other dining couples seated near them. Everyone sat oblivious to her friend's loud proclamation, but it didn't change the fact that they were currently sitting at the Palm, and that in itself demanded a bit more discretion.

"Jesus Katherine." Bonnie's voice filtered through the air echoing Caroline's thoughts. "Put a governor on that mouth of yours!" Katherine Pierce looked unapologetic as she shoveled a heaping forkful of pasta into her mouth. After a moment of being stared at she ceased chewing issuing an oblivious "what?" to the table.

A smile quirked on Caroline's mouth as she speared a piece of broccoli with her fork. "Honestly, we can't take you anywhere." She quipped.

A saucy eye roll was the brunettes only response. Katherine had always held the title of instigator of the group but looking the way she did she was rarely got called on it. With thick wavy long hair, dark eyes, and flawless olive skin, she could easily make supermodels cry with envy. As well as having a perfect body to match her beautiful face she was nowhere near afraid to tell anyone exactly what was on her mind at all times.

Katherine was born on a military base in Bulgaria and blamed being an army brat raised by a single father for her abrasive behavior. Besides her tendency to act tomboyish and her inability to turn down a party she was the closest thing to a sister that Caroline had ever had. Katherine had never had an easy time making friends, most people immediately disliked her. Men were intimidated by her independence and women were insanely jealous of the way she looked and handled herself. Those select people who were close to Kat all knew that she would simultaneously kill and die for them. She had grown up without a family, so she made her friends her family.

Kat was the first person Caroline had met when she moved to LA. She was bartending at a club not far from Caroline's first apartment while finishing college and aggressively "talked" a group of frat boys into rethinking ruffeeing her drink. After that they stayed close and as their time together grew so did their reliance on each other. Caroline knew without Katherine to give her the hard truth and unwavering support over the years she would have gone bonkers ages ago.

Bonnie was almost Katherine's complete opposite in both attitude and style. They had met her at a yoga boot camp when the girls had gone into one of their exercise phases. Bonnie was sweet, serious, and very down to earth. She managed several high profile investment accounts at a firm in west Hollywood and she had moved to California in an attempt to distance herself from her family's strange beliefs. Her grandmother was a spiritual consultant with more A list clientele than Heidi Fleiss. Last Caroline had heard she was currently nestled in Morocco with Brad and Angelina contemplating the universe and chanting to the goddesses of the forest.

Despite rebelling against her families alternative lifestyle Bonnie did inherit her grandmothers stunning good looks. Her mocha skin was set off by the most striking set of sea green eyes; they were practically hypnotic with warmth. In fact warmth seemed to radiate from her in almost visible waves. Bonnie was a rock, a serene peaceful presence in Caroline's perfect, but admittedly hectic life.

She didn't know what she would without them, she meant that, with everything that she had she meant that. Especially right now, sitting across the table discussing an unknown man's sex life and what it was doing to Caroline's sanity.

"Thanks for the pep talk Kat, I'm glad to know I look that awful." She hesitated at that shooting Caroline a poignant look.

"There's no point sugar coating it." A pause settled between them. "Who is this guy anyway?"

Caroline stifled a sigh. How could she tell them that she had no freaking clue about the sex god next door? Other than his name was Klaus and his voice did unspeakable things to her. "No Clue, I haven't been able to get a good look at him other than he's pretty tall."

"That and he knows how to navigate his way between the sheets." Bonnie inserted pushing around her chickenless Caesar salad.

Sarcasm oozed from Caroline's next words. "Oh yeah that. Honestly I hate men like him. They use women without a single care for their feelings and throw them away like they are nothing." She could feel her face heat as the words escaped her dripping with venomous disdain.

Her mind drifted to Tyler. Tyler who had said he loved her. Tyler who asked her to marry him. Tyler who had left her for Hayley…

"Are we still talking about your neighbor?" Bonnie's voice pulled her back from the lethal territory her mind had wandered too, concern etched evident on her face.

"Of course." Neither girl looked convinced. "The guy is clearly an asshole."

"Clearly." Kat affirmed dryly, flagging down the waiter with a stiff wave. "But asshole or no, he obviously is great in the sack. Maybe you should…"

Horror arched through her. "What? No!" She exclaimed loudly drawing the attention of a few nearby tables. She leaned forward, lowering her voice and hoping desperately that her face didn't resemble a tomato. "I would never think about being with a guy like that."

"I'm not saying you need to marry the guy but it might do you some good to have someone go in and clean out the cobwebs."

At Katherine's words Bonnie snorted into her wineglass and Caroline was certain that she could fry bacon on her cheeks. "It has been awhile Care."

"It hasn't been that long!"

"Really? When was the last time someone rocked your world? Hell when was the last time you went on a date? You can't even be certain that it still works!"

She honestly couldn't believe they were having this conversation. "It works just fine!"

"We worry about you Caroline, that's all." She sat there, staring at her two best friends. They had been through a lot together the three of them and as humiliating as having her sex life be the topic of lunch discussion was she knew that they were only trying to help.

"I've been busy."

"You are an amazing event coordinator Care, but you need to take some more time for yourself. Go on some dates! Give us something else to talk about other than Kat's escapades."

"Hey!" Katherine exclaimed tossing her napkin at Bonnie in mock offense.

It took only a moment for her to surrender.

"Alright. I get it. You guys are right." And with that came the onslaught of men Caroline could potentially go on a date with. As the list of names grew she was sure of one thing. Finding a man was not going to be a walk in the park.

* * *

After a quick dinner of leftover lasagna Caroline had buckled down and started updating her dating profile. She never thought she would be the kind of person who needed the internet to meet people but without it… it was impossible to find the time.

She started off a few conversations with some attractive prospects and declined a slew of other instant messages with men who were beyond crude in their approach. Whoever told guys that Dick pictures were the way to win over a woman was seriously mistaken. Seriously. Ew. When she finally had all the she could handle she powered down her laptop, flicking her gaze to the television. Fred Astaire danced effortlessly across the screen and Caroline turned wistful in the aftermath of her own dating disaster.

What happened to the world's gentleman? She flicked off her TV shuffling into her bedroom and shucking off her clothes. She opened up her drawer of nightgowns choosing one of her favorite from the piles of silk and lace. She wriggled into the satin the black bustier giving her a hint of support, the white piping breaking the satin in a way that screamed vintage Marilyn Monroe sex appeal. The material felt cool against her skin, the clasps of the built in garters rasping erotically against her thighs. As she washed her face and brushed her hair in preparation of the night ahead she felt the beginning of arousal snake its way through her. By the time she wriggled under her covers her nipples were painfully hard in anticipation. Her hands feathered between her thighs caressing herself, teasing, beginning the heavenly build to climax that she ached for. Her mind skated as she imagined a man's hands in place of her own, kissing her neck, whispering in her ear all the things he was going to do to her with that unmistakable accent…

A moan escaped from the parted petals of her lips.

She let sensation and her imagination take over as she built herself up. She rolled her hips as she began to mount the crest to her bliss.

A shrill squeal pierced the air.

Thump.

Another squeal.

Thump.

Another squeal.

Pleasure faded in an instant replaced by seething anger. The woman's squeal could break glass! It was almost as if a pig was getting slaughtered over there! Sexual Frustration had her out of bed before she knew what she was doing. She launched her front door open with a resounding slam walking the three steps to her inconsiderate neighbor's door and pounding her fists with all the force she could possibly muster. She pounded and pounded, never relenting, never showing any sign that she was going to give up.

Give up? He had another thing coming.

Finally she head footsteps nearing the door but she didn't stop her assault. The frustration of being robbed of sleep and then being robbed of a much needed orgasm unleashed itself in a flame of seething violence.

She heard the lock and chain being undone but she still didn't stop her pounding. It wasn't' until the door swung open and out of her reach did she stop and that was only because it would have hit the man's face.

And what a face.

There he was.

Klaus.

He held the door open with one hand, the other hanging loosely at his side. Caroline looked him over from head to toe. A pair of boxer briefs did little to disguise his erection, still hard, definitely above average. His stomach looked like it had been carved by angels and Caroline's brain turned to mush with the thought of any number of things she'd lick off of it. She finally made her way up to his face and it felt as if someone had kicked her square in the stomach. Tousled curly locks, most likely mussed from the squealer in the other room. Dancing midnight eyes. Raspberry lips, and killer cheekbones. This man could have easily been crafted as god's gift to the female race.

It took her more than a few beats to realize she was staring shamelessly. Mouth open and ogling the man who had been making her life miserable for the past few nights. Another moment to realize he was staring right back; his eyes making lascivious work analyzing her bare legs. The third moment she remembered exactly what she was wearing and how she probably looked to him. Her cheeks flushed as she crossed her arms over her chest. Crossing her arms only brought his attention to her scantily clad breasts and he stared at her chest for a long moment before his gaze finally settled back on hers and he gave her a smile designed to dissolve a woman into a puddle at his feet. It took every shred of willpower not to pass out. _Christ! The man had dimples!_

Heat coursed through her like a gunshot, arousal resurfaced with a vengeance. His gaze flicked over her again before his voice snaked its way around her, massaging her like a physical caress. "What can I do for you love?"

Her nipples tightened painfully as the warm timber of his voice hit her. She closed her eyes, her mind racing. _What can you do for me? Me. Me would be good. _

When she finally managed to calm herself down enough to look at him his heavy lidded gaze was fixated intently on her lips. Her body surged with awareness, straining towards this man that screamed raw sexuality. He drug his gaze lazily back to hers giving her an all knowing smirk.

_Jesus. He knew! Of course he knew Caroline look at him! NO! Bad Caroline! Don't look at him. _

She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders.

It was time to cry havoc and set free the dogs of war.

* * *

**A/N: Chapter three is done. Next chapter will be the confrontation of Klaus and Caroline. Hope you are ready :) **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

* * *

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" She kept her head high and her eyesight directly focused on a spot passed his left shoulder. There was no way that she could be stern and look at him at the same time. It wasn't happening.

"No actually. Why do I get the feeling you won't hesitate in telling me?"

She scoffed at his cavalier tone. Seriously? How dare he?!

"Excuse me?!"

"What time is it sweetheart? As riveting at this conversations is I'm a bit busy at the moment so if we can get this over with…"

"Caroline was fairly certain that steam was actually pouring from her ears. She could not for the life of her remember being as mad as she was at this very moment. Forget that he was one of the most gorgeous men that she had ever seen in her entire life. Forget that his voice got her hotter than a sinner r in church. He was absolutely, without a doubt, the most conceited, arrogant, pigheaded….. "Oh I know. I'm pretty sure everyone in the apartment complex knows that you are busy tonight. And last night, and the night before that."

He seemed perplexed. He had the audacity to look confused! "I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"It means that I'm surprised there isn't a hole in my wall because you've pounded some poor girls head through it with the force of your dick." If Caroline was in control right now, she might have cringed at the thought of being so crass, but the only thing she could think was that if she murdered him the judge would send her to prison and she looked ridiculously awful in orange.

The charm he had probably spent a lifetime perfecting melted away with the fake pleasantries.

"I beg your pardon. I don't think that's any of your business."

"It became my business the minute you started depriving me of sleep. You might be new here, so let me give you a hint. Keeping your neighbors awake is no way to make new friends."

He watched her, as if he was half way certain that this was all some sort of joke. "I think you are overreacting love."

"I am not, and don't call me that, and what are you talking about?" She made the mistake at looking down and her eyes immediately fixated on his crotch. Jesus, the man was still hard. An arch of electricity raced through her. _NO! Focus Caroline. Focus._

"These walls seem pretty thick. I haven't had a single problem since I moved into this flat."

"Well generally decent human beings try to be quiet in the middle of the nightt. Not wake up everyone within a 3 block radius."

Her gave her that grin again, that heart melting, knee knocking, no bars held smile. "Jealous?"

She laughed at that. Honestly laughed at the gall of this smug man in front of her.

"Please." She raised a hand in disbelief pushing a fallen lock of her blonde hair away from her face in irritation. "Keep it down or I'm calling the landlord."

"Oooohhhh I'm terrified. Consider me warned, your highness." The door twitched in his hand almost like he was going to slam it shut in her face but reconsidered. "You know sweetheart. This has been a delightful evening but I think it's about time for it to come to an end."

She didn't even give him the satisfaction of a response, he didn't deserve one. Rolling her eyes she turned to go back in her apartment, replete in the knowledge that the argument was officially over and the issue settled. His words stopped her as her hand circled the cool brass of her doorknob.

"Just for your information, for the next time you come over to see me…" His gaze drifted back over her body, lust once more igniting in the depths of his steely blue eyes. "I do love a woman in red."

The scoff that came out of her was practically a scream. She slammed the door shut stomping back up her hallway to the living room. She was still fuming as she wrenched out a blanket and pillow from the hall closet, opting to avoid her bedroom for the night. Of all the assholes in all of the world, why did their King have to take up residence next door.

* * *

Two days later the girls finally managed to get together again. Luckily Yves Saint Laurent was having a sample sale and not a single one of them could resist the call of discount designer duds. Caroline was lazily thumbing through a rack of dresses as she retold her neighbor drama to the girls.

"So he just stopped banging the girl so he could open the door?" Kat questioned trying to wrap her head around the specifics. "Poor girl."

"To be honest I didn't give him much of a choice. I wasn't going to stop knocking until he answered."

"Still though…"she slipped one of her dainty feet into an emerald pair of sling-backs. "No dedication. I don't like him already."

Bonnie gave a hearty laugh, rolling her eyes at the brunette. "I'm sure he'll be heartbroken when he finds out."

Anger boiled over. "I couldn't even believe the way he acted. Without a single shred of decency. SO arrogant. The man is a tool! He is every single tool that has even been inside or around a tool box. NO! He's more than that, he is a six foot by six foot, packed to the rafters, hoarders edition toolshed." She was ranting then, she knew by the way her chest was heaving that she had gotten a little carried away. But there was something about that guy though; something that got under her skin and made her want to claw his eyes out. Something that made her lose her carefully collected control.

Bonnie's eyes rounded in aww as she drew out a dress from a rack. "Care, this dress was made for you!" Bonnie, as usual, didn't disappoint. The first thing she noted was that the dress was Crimson red. Her thoughts flitted back to Klaus's parting words the other night and fury boiled within her simmering beneath the surface. The second being that there was a brand new pair of shoes sitting in her closet that would look killer with it. Lastly was that if she didn't buy the dress, she might literally die.

Her hand eased around the cool fabric, sliding down the length of it tenderly. "Oh god." She moaned as she analyzed the cut. "Where have you been my entire life?" It would be skin tight on her, that she already knew. The entire silhouette screamed 1960's sex symbol hell bent on seducing James Bond. The perfect amount of modern to vintage. The dress was so perfect she wasn't totally sure it didn't manifest itself right out of her mind.

"If you don't buy it…" Kat started taking a step towards causing Caroline to hug the garment as tight as she could.

"No I'm going to buy it."

Bonnie knew exactly what to say to sell it further. "It would be perfect for that engagement party at the Chateau Marmont." Katherine gave an approving nod as she packed the shoes in a box and stuffed it under her arm.

"You two are invited to that by the way. It's an open bar and there is going to be at least 300 people there."

"You aren't going to make us staff again are you?" She asked, a pleading look in her eyes as she held up a dress for Caroline's opinion.

"That was one time and I apologized with Kate Spade and batting eyelashes. I promise you guys will be guests and all you will have to do will lift up your drink. That would look great on you." Bonnie smiled as she held the dress up to herself smoothing out the skirt. Another half an hour had left her bank account significantly lighter, but as they pushed opened the door into the sunshine she felt a serenity she hadn't felt in days.

She shifted her bag to her other arm digging into her purse for her phone. They made their way down the street looking for a restaurant they all could agree on for lunch.

"Wait, you never said, was the guy hot?" Caroline stopped, staring at Kat in sheer confusion.

"What?"

"You know the neighbor. The asshole." Irritation flared through her again at the mention of him. Asshole didn't even begin to cover it.

"That guys is…uggghhh." She couldn't explain in mere words how much she disliked the man.

"I know I know. Toolshed. But is he hot?" Caroline refused to let herself succumb to Kat's line of questioning. She would maintain her hatred for as long as she could.

"I don't know." She said primly.

"Would you fuck him?"

Would she fuck him? The dam burst washing over the image of Klaus in vivid detail. Every mouthwatering inch of him. The hair, the body, the face, the voice. It was entirely unfair that a man who looked like he did was such a cocky bastard. But would Caroline fuck him? As long as the only time he spoke was to tell her in explicit detail exactly what he was going to do to her then abso-fucking-lutely.

The answer must have been written plain as day on her face. Bonnie called her out in a millisecond. "Oh my god you totally would!"

They did not let her hear the end of it for the rest of her day.

**A/N: Hey everyone! Another update for you. Let me know what you think so far! I am glad that everyone is enjoying the story so far. If you have a chance go check out the book "Wallbanger" which is what this story is based off of. **

**Just an FYI, I am going to be in Vegas for the next five days so I might not get a chance to update until next Tuesday. I will be writing though, I'll just be doing it Poolside. **

**Please Review. :) **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

* * *

Another day passed in blissful silence. Caroline had neither seen nor heard a single thing from her nocturnal neighbor. She was convinced that her visit had set him straight and for the time being she was going to be getting plenty of beauty rest. Not much had happened since her night adventure except for exchanging some emails with a guy named Matt.

Matt Donovan was 26 years old, a police officer, and for all she could gather from her limited conversations with him he seemed like a well rounded, decent, nice guy. Apparently work also took up a good deal of his time so finding time to meet people somewhere other than a bar wasn't really a possibility. Caroline knew that, Caroline could preach that song and dance. They hadn't set up a time to meet yet, but it was coming soon and she was pretty excited about the prospect. Internet dating or no, there was always something exciting about finding someone you genuinely liked.

She had also convinced Rebekah once again that she didn't need to call off her wedding because the table linens were going to be the wrong shade of white. Once the catastrophe of the hour was averted Rebekah then decided that she didn't know what she was thinking when she changed from the Lily's and the Roses were once again on the backburner. It wasn't difficult for her to manage the slew of Bridezilla's she encountered in her work, it was her job to be able to handle any swing that came her way. You couldn't be a Planner if you buckled under the pressure, but you also had to know when to be firm. It was a fine line that needed to be straddled, but Caroline reveled in the thrill of the challenge. Every day was a new obstacle, and every day she hurdled it like she'd done it a thousand times before.

Humming to herself she shuffled through her music playlist in search of some music to cook too. While pondering a change she shook her head in resignation scrolling down to the F's and pressing play. She docked her iphone and let Frank Sinatra's voice wash over her. Why did she need a change? Ol' Blue Eyes touched her soul in a way no one else could.

_…I got the world on a string…_

She pulled out some asparagus and fish from her refrigerator, swaying to the melody. Knowing that in that moment everything was exactly what it ought to be.

_…sitting on a rainbow…_

She flicked the oven to preheat and quickly prepped the asparagus for baking. As the first song blended into the next and she was sifting the spices together for the breading a noise broke her concentration. She let her eyes travel around her apartment, searching for its source. Music surged around her.

_…I met her in Monterey, a long time ago…_

It sounded again.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Her body was taunt, ears straining. Was that….?

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Forgetting her fish she slowly walked her way to her bedroom pausing in the doorframe, poised for action. The music crescendo'd echoing throughout the room. Her eyes locked on the bedroom wall.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

That son of a…

She moved forward her heels clacking loudly against the wood floor. She slammed her hands against the wall. Once. Twice. Three times. There was a pause and then, there is was again, directly in front of her.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

She slammed back, the vibration from her fists striking the surface moving up her forearms. They battled like that for a few good minutes before his voice filtered clear as day through the wall. "Keep it down or I'm calling the landlord. Decent Humans beings do their best to be quiet."

The use of her own words from the night in the hallway made rage rise through her like driftwood. "GO TO HELL!" she seethed. She spun on her heel, stomping out of her bedroom towards the kitchen with every intention of cranking the volume up to as loud as it could possibly go. She wasn't certain but as she stormed back through the open doorway she could have sworn she heard a masculine chuckle.

Bastard.

* * *

Kat wasn't able to get away from her meeting so it was only Bonnie and her for dinner that evening. It didn't happen often, but it was nice to be able to spend some quality one on one time with her best friend. And it was perfect timing too, the moment she walked up to Caroline outside the restaurant she could tell that Bonnie had had a colossally awful day. "So basically I told Jeremy that I couldn't ever see myself in a relationship with him again. I don't think that I can ever get over the Anna thing. How would I ever be able to trust him again? Just because things didn't work out with her he is going to come back to me eight months later?"

"Don't do it Bonnie. I'm serious." Caroline pointed her fork at her friend. "You deserve way better than being treated like that."

"I know that. I can't believe he even called in the first place."

"It's asinine." Bonnie nodded in agreement, but pain still shown bright behind her eyes. She waited for her to continue, knowing that all she really needed was to vent a little bit. After all, Caroline couldn't even begin to imagine how she would feel if Tyler called saying that he wanted her back. She probably would just stare open mouthed, unable to speak from pure astonishment.

"I just don't understand, you know? Why now? I'm just starting to feel okay about what happened. Considering giving another serious relationship a shot and he just calls out of nowhere and brings everything back up again!"

Caroline tipped some more wine into Bonnie's glass, filling it almost to the top. "Jerks like him have radars. It's like they know that you are done thinking about them so they have to call just to mess with your head again. You are way better off. Any guy who could be in a relationship with you and cheat? He has to be unstable."

Bonnie gratefully grasped her wineglass, staring off into the distance blankly. "I guess." She muttered monotonously. Caroline could see the tears brimming in her friends eyes and she felt pain lace through her. She hated seeing someone as sweet as Bonnie hurt like this. Bonnie deserved someone who could love her the same way that she loved; with every single fiber of their being. She wanted to wrap her friend in a hug for a solid twenty minutes until she had no doubts of just how amazing she was. A single tear drop crested and rolled down her cheek.

"Bonnie."

"No I'm fine!" She hastily wiped the tear away with the back of her hand forcing a smile. "Really. I'm fine. What about you? How is everything going with the neighbor?"

Caroline fixed her with a stern look. "I'm not going to complain about my neighbor right now."

"Please do. I need something to distract me from what's going on inside my head." After another moment of silence and a pleading look from Bonnie she finally relented, though grudgingly. She detailed what had happened the night before while she was cooking, how he had thought it would be cute to pound on her wall about her music.

"But it doesn't stop there. This morning when I am leaving to go to work I notice there is something stuck to my door. I figured it was just a coupon for pizza or something, but it's a note, from him. "Someone was stumbling around looking for the hypocritical prude in 5A. It was my neighborly duty to tell them you only were pretentious in the evenings. From, Klaus".

Bonnie looked astonished. "You are kidding me?"

"Not even a little bit."

"Who does that?"

"My neighbor apparently." She answered dryly talking a sip from her glass. She shook her head for a moment, letting the ridiculousness of the entire situation take hold.

"What are you going to do?"

In all honesty…

"I have no idea."

And she didn't. Did she go to the landlord and complain? Did she call the police? The cops would probably laugh in her face if she told them exactly what was going on. There had to be something she could do. Something that would put him in his place and get him to leave her alone.

"You should get him back?"

"What?" She laughed at Bonnie's excited expression.

"No seriously! Give him a taste of his own medicine. Humiliate him for once in his life."

"I think that's a little easier said than done. What would I even do? Cover his doorknob with shampoo?"

Bonnie's hand threaded through her black tresses, her fingers tapping on her lips in thought. "You could key his car or something?!"

"Bonnie!" Caroline exclaimed, surprise evident in her tone. The girl shrugged in response completely unfazed by her own statement. "And they say Kat is the evil one! Geez!"

The wine was clearly starting to influence her friend, Bonnie waved her hand wildly as she spoke. "I'm just saying is all. If anyone deserves payback. It's him."

Caroline let the words sink in, her brain mulling them over.

Well, she wasn't wrong.

* * *

Caroline fiddled with the package in her hand. She closed her eyes in preparation.

_You can do this Caroline. You can do this. _

Silently, she swung open her door and tiptoed the few steps to her neighbors. With as much care as she could, she placed the box onto the welcome mat her eyes fixed on the door willing it to stay shut.

One moment passed, then the next. Slowly she crept back to her door clicking it shut almost as quietly as it was opened. She let her back rest against the cool wood as she took a settling breath.

It was done.

Hopefully she'd live to tell the tale.

* * *

**A/N: Guess where I am RN. Vegas. **

**And guess what I just did RN. Updated. **

**Hope you liked this chapter. For those of you who have read the story you should be able to tell that it's going in a different direction, but I am working very hard on it and hopefully you like it. **

**Please review. I love it when you do :) Thank you for everyone who has reviewed thus far.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

* * *

She had changed her mind for what seemed like the hundredth time since she dropped the package on her jerk face of a neighbor's doorstep. The moment she started walking down her hallway towards her kitchen she had decided against her actions. She had to give herself a thorough pep talk in order to complete the trek into the kitchen and fix something for dinner. While she was reheating some chicken parmesan from her earlier meal she thoroughly detailed Klaus's crimes and his immaturity in posting the note on her door. He had been completely inconsiderate to the other occupants of the building; he had been a chauvinistic, egomaniacal, annoying, degrading asshole. Who cared that Caroline could catalog in alphabetical order the things that she wanted to lick off of her stomach? Bonnie was right, if anyone deserved payback for being a genuine douchebag it was him. So as she sat in front of her Television to re-watch White Christmas for the billionth time she was absolutely, positively and in all other words convinced that she had made the right decision.

After all it was only a box. A harmless, nondescript, wrapped box.

It probably wouldn't even faze him.

In all reality she was doing him and the world as a whole a favor.

Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye never failed to spin her into her happy world where a few well written songs could change the world. When they finished the last lines of "White Christmas" and the ending credits rolled down the screen a sigh escaped her as she sauntered into the kitchen to wash off her plate. She eyed her front door on the way to her bedroom she faltered slightly as another small iota of doubt wriggled its way inside of her. As she washed her face and prepared for bed she questioned herself again. She wasn't this kind of person. She shouldn't let him get to her dropping off that box was screaming in his face that he made her uncomfortable. It would simply be more affective if she just ignored his very existence instead of retaliating like a child. She was an adult after all and she should handle this manner just like she would one of her unruly brides. With effective, calculating calm.

Her ear strained for a sound of the overly audible male on the other side of her wall. She hadn't heard a single thing from him all evening, which probably meant that he wasn't home at the moment. Probably off scouring the city for another woman to bring home and ruin her peace.

If he was at home you could believe that he would damn well let her know.

The thought in itself affirmed her decision as she wiggled her way into a satin pair of tap pants and matching chemise. She threw back her covers in a huff before settling in with a determined state of thought. Her mind raced, refusing to give her any sweet surrender to slumber. She tossed maniacally destroying her perfectly made bed and twisting the sheets around her slender legs. Twice she had to get up and fix her fitted sheet back over the corners of her bed.

One o'clock turned to two, which faded into three easily. By four she had given up hope that sleep would come.

She had also given up on the idea that leaving a sarcastic package was a good idea.

Guilt already consumed her.

Barefoot and messy haired she tiptoed down her hallway to her front door, peering out of the keyhole warily. With a turn and a whisper of a tug her door silently swung open to the dim light of the hallway. She turned her head to assure no one was lurking in the corner ready to strike before moving towards the welcome mat directly to the left of her apartment.

Shock raced through her and she froze in horror.

No. No no no no no no no.

Where earlier she had carefully and silently placed her package and then tiptoed surreptitiously away there were only the stark white words "Welcome" staring back at her.

The box was gone.

* * *

Dread filled her as she got dressed for her day. The box was gone. He had gotten her package. She was humiliated. She was terrified.

She was officially freaking out.

Oh where was Katherine when she needed her? She would sassily tell her that the guy could just go and fuck himself and then she'd take a deep breath and then realize that her friend was right. Bonnie would try to reassure her that maybe someone else had picked up the package by mistake, but that didn't seem likely right now because it was Bonnie's idea in the first place.

Could someone else have picked up the box?

No. Caroline Forbes was in no way lucky enough for that to happen. He had gotten her message loud and clear, and if she knew Klaus like she thought she knew Klaus he would be planning his retaliation. He was diabolical like that. The incident with the note on the door proved that.

Her feet slid into her black pointed stilettos and she sauntered towards the door to grab her purse and her keys. Thundering heartbeats coursed through her, her stomach was in her throat as she peeked through her keyhole and then watched for any sign of movement for a solid three minutes.

_Caroline Forbes. You will not hide from some man you barely know. You are made of far sterner stuff than he will ever realize. _

Her spine immediately straightened as she thrust her shoulders back and her head high. With a resounding stomp of her heel she flung open her door and walked purposefully down the hallway to the stairs. As she hit the landing on the next floor some of her anticipation faded. Why had she been so nervous? Because she overanalyzed everything, that's what she did.

She had been silly.

Overreacting. Just like she had thought.

By the time she had reached the main doors of her apartment building there was almost a ghost of a smile on her lips as she took in the shining sun and blue sky. She pushed through the glass doors and walked down the sidewalk to the parking garage. She waved to an elderly couple who were taking an early morning stroll with their yorkies and woven through the cars towards her parking spot.

She froze as she turned the final corner and took into account her white Prius.

Rage boiled up inside of her as she stomped forward the rest of the way.

Oh he had gotten her package alright. The industrial strength, Costco size, box of condoms with the note telling him to do the world a favor and never procreate.

He had opened every single one and slapped them against her car.

His parking spot was noticeably empty. He was at least smart enough to leave because she would have honestly been able to total the stupid SUV with the sheer force of her anger right now.

A note was tucked into her windshield wiper and she ripped it out with so much force she was surprised it didn't rip clean in half.

His neat scrawl stared back at her. "I don't have any problems in that area love, but I appreciate your thoughtful concern. I think you might need these more than me, perhaps it will inspire you to get a fucking life."

A frustrated scream/growl tore from her lips. A noise she could honestly say that she had never before in her life made. With a crazed gleam in her eye she gathered up the condoms and threw them one by one into a plastic sack she had left in her car. Once she was certain she had collected them all she turned swiftly on her heel and pounded her way back up the steps into her apartment. She flung open her sliding glass door and eyed the three foot gap that separated his balcony from her.

Oh, he wanted her to get a life? She'd get one.

His.

Three feet? Please. She could make that in her sleep, even if it was five stories off of the ground. Her anger egged her on. To this day she still held the title of longest running head cheerleader at Mystic Falls High and that didn't come from wussing out over a little stunt like this. She slipped her shoes off and bare foot, hoisted herself up onto the railing using the side of the building for support. With a deep breath and the bag hanging from her opposite hand she leapt forward landing on the other railing and wobbling slightly. After a moment she dropped down onto his balcony with catlike grace. A cat got the cream smile cracked over her features as she opened the bag to start her mission.

The inside of his apartment caught her gaze for a moment and she took it to analyze the expensively vintage furnishings. She gave herself only that moment before slapping the lubricated condoms onto his window making sure to spell backwards so that he would be able to read her message when he opened his front door.

She surveyed her work with a satisfied shake before moving to make the leap back over to salvation.

It was true after all.

"Better a prude then an STD ridden asshole"

Perhaps Klaus would finally learn that you did not mess with Caroline. Because the only thing that Caroline Forbes had an issue with other than control was winning.

And she had no intention of losing.

With a newly acquired saucy sway to her hips she slipped her stilettos back on and walked back to the door giving her apartment a satisfied smirk before closing it off with a click.

* * *

**A/N: I would like to take a moment to thank the wonderful amazing beautiful Ariella Forverrr for reviewing and reminding me that I needed to get my ass in gear. It's been over two weeks and I apologize like a mother. Here is your new chapter. I am going to start working on the next chapter today as well so that it will be done SOON and I can post it because I love all of your faces. **

**Thank you so much to everyone who has read and reviewed so far. You guys are truly my inspiration and I mean that. Please continue to read and enjoy and let me know what you thought, I thrive off of your feedback. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

It was easy to completely lose yourself in your job if you really loved it. For Caroline it was more than just the network of people she dealt with on the day to day and the constant new challenges emerging for her to tackle. The thrill, the satisfaction. There was something insanely beautiful about an event that was perfectly organized. The way the tables at the Gibbard's celebration created a perfect horseshoe, or how from every angle of Rebekah's upcoming engagement party there will be a corresponding mirror that will reflect her future last name.

She was swimming in Salvatore.

It was an odd request from a bride, having the last name being such a prominent feature in a celebration, but in Rebekah's crazy bridezilla way, it probably meant that she was proud of her future moniker. But such softness didn't really suit the English Blonde. She was beautiful to be sure, one of the most tasteful and well put together women Caroline had ever met, but if she was asked to explain the lady, the first words that would crop up in her mind definitely would not be soft.

So it was almost ironic that while she was swimming in Salvatore, she was also swimming in massive quantities of diaphanous silk. The softest looking fabric there was.

"No. Not like that. Look how I'm gathering this. Do you see what I'm doing here? If you go at it like that then the silk will snag and it will be ruined. You have to be gentle." April, her assistant simply rolled her eyes before adjusting the bunch of fabric in her hand. April was young, not quite eighteen, and had graduated from high school early and was eager to make her way out in the world. She was a hard worker, very determined, and shrewd when it came to getting what she wanted. The only problem with April was that she made it very clear that she thought that she knew absolutely everything. It wouldn't be long before Caroline would have to sit her down and let her know that if she wanted to get anywhere in this industry, she needed to lose the attitude and learn whatever she could while she had the chance.

Soon people would just stop trying to teach her.

No one wanted to book their wedding with a Planner who already "knew" exactly what you want without asking.

When Caroline had moved to California she had worked for a small event company that only did business parties. She had known that that wasn't her niche, she had always liked weddings and lavish parties and didn't want to limit herself to only boring workplace soirées. But being 18 years old and "fresh off the farm" there wasn't a lot of opportunities available to her. When she was offered the job she had leapt on it like a panther. For almost a year she had done absolutely everything from sewing alterations, to lugging cases of beer, to calking a fountain. And she had relished in it, because she knew someday there would be an emergency or an issue and that day would be the day she walked her heels right up to it and knocked it out with a flick of her wrist.

Knowledge was power.

And the more she knew the farther she would go. She finally approached Gilbert's with a Portfolio some people worked their entire life for, coupled with the fact that she refused to take no for an answer.

Her ringing phone ripped her face first out of her memories.

She answered it without hesitation.

"Caroline Forbes Speaking."

"Caroline, I am going absolutely mental thinking about next Friday."

"Rebekah, everything is perfectly under control. I'm actually going through all of the silk draping's as we speak."

"It's not that, I'm sure the party will be lovely." Caroline's eyebrows shot up in surprise. That might have been the first outright compliment had ever given her. And they'd been working together for almost two years. "My brother is leaving."

A frown marred her features as she excused herself from the store room and it's puffy mess. There was nothing quite as difficult to deal with as family drama, especially the brides.

Well there is a cheating groom.

Thank god that wasn't the case.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. He is just jetting off to France last minute and says that he won't be able to fly back till the day of the party! Which means he might not even make it to the party at all! How could he do this to me? He is my favorite brother, I can't have my engagement party without him!"

Caroline did a quick mental trip through Rebekah's family tree. Rebekah had five brothers.

"Which brother is this exactly?" She clicked the door to her office closed and pulled out a large binder marked "Salvatore" in stark black letters. She flicked it open with a large smack as she waited for her brides words.

"It's Nick. He gets in the same hour the party starts. But who is going to pick him up from the airport? Everyone will be at the party!" Her finger skimmed down the guest list till they reached the name 'Nick Mikaelson', he had declined his +1, and Caroline had heard practically nothing about this supposed 'favorite'.

"Is that all Rebekah, I can arrange for him to be picked up and brought directly to the party."

"Really?"

"Of course, this is California, you can hire people to walk your dogs."

A heavy sigh, one Caroline was very familiar with.

"You're right. You are always right. So he will be there?"

"Even if I have to go and pick him up myself. LAX right?"

Caroline could feel the warmth of her smile through the telephone. "Yes. I don't know what I would do without you Caroline, you are my heroine."

She sat primly in her seat, letting the praise fill her with happiness. "I'm sure you could manage perfectly well without me. Now stop worrying, I'll call you in a few days to give you an update."

Rebekah gave her tinkling 'Cheers' and once more Caroline was surrounded by her offices soothing silence. Her sanctuary.

She took a deep breath before lifting her phone and thumbing through the contacts. A moment later the tell-tale rings filled the stagnation followed by a quick hello.

"Jesse, dear, it's Caroline. I have a wayward traveler arriving on the 16th that I need you to deliver to the Chateau Marmont for me."

Jesse's playful tone answered her automatically.

"Well I'd be happy to pick up whoever you need me to, in exchange for that date you promised me two years ago."

She gave a smile as she palmed her event calendar. "Two years, Surely it hasn't been two years?"

"I never forget a think when it comes to you beautiful."

Her eye roll came automatically. Same old Jesse. "I seem to remember us going on a date and it ending terribly."

"Really? I don't remember that at all."

"We watched a movie, we talked, we kissed, and there were no sparks whatsoever? Ring any bells."

His laughter filtered through the phone. "Ahhh, that date! Never mind, I thought you were someone else."

She scoffed, letting their flirtation continue effortlessly. "So how about it. The 16th, LAX to the Chateau?"

"Yeah girl, I got you. Name?"

"Nick Mikaelson."

"Don't say I never did anything for you toots?" She chuckled as she rotated her chair to look out the window at the shining sun.

"I wouldn't dare."

* * *

Caroline had lived in her apartment for a long time. Sometimes it seemed like she had lived here for her entire life. She had to remind herself that she had grown up in Virgina. But this was her home now. That being said there was nothing that made her feel more at home than Mr. Saltzman. He was a good 20 years her senior, and was a crotchety, rude, sarcastic, drunk, at least that was what most people thought when they met him. She had been wrestling an armchair up the stairs when she had first met him. He was silent as he tried passing her, he stalled, then finally, still silent he grabbed the armchair from her and carried it up the rest of the way.

Caroline had gushed her thanks profusely not even phased by the man's sour nature. He then had helped her carry the rest of her things to her apartment, only saying a few curt words of instruction as he went. It was the nicest thing someone had done for her in a long time. So naturally, Caroline being Caroline she had offered to make him dinner for the trouble.

Alaric, that was Mr. Saltzman's first name. Seemed frighteningly uncomfortable sitting on Caroline's bar chair and listening to her titter on as she made them a simple pasta. During that encounter, Caroline only learned a few things from him, his name, that he was a history teacher, he had been in the military, and he lived alone in 4D.

She didn't know what it was, but there was something about him that made her want to reach out to him. Something… lonely. So the next day she had made him a cake as a thank you and brought it to his apartment in thanks.

He was surprised to see her as he opened up the door in irritation. But he softened as a beaming Caroline offered up desserts and he let her inside.

That was the beginning of their unlikely friendship. The first thing she noticed was the pictures of the same woman staring back at her from all over the house. This woman was important to him that much she could tell but it wasn't until five months later he finally revealed the story to her of what happened. He had been working at a high school in New York, everything seemed perfect, he was married, loved his work, and his wife and they were trying to have a baby. He was one of the rare ones, the Cary Grants and the Clark Gables that had disappeared over time. He had loved his wife with so much devotion that thinking about it brought tears to Caroline's eyes. One night six years ago a man broke into their house. He wouldn't say much about it, and she couldn't blame him. The man had overpowered Alaric, tied him up, and then forced him to watch as he murdered his wife. The man had left him alive.

It was safe to say that he would never, could never be the same again.

It was Caroline's honor, to be deemed his friend, and it had been their tradition that once a week Caroline would make dinner for the two of them.

Caroline was also feverishly trying to get him to go out on a date with one of the bakers she had met and worked with regularly, but as of yet she had had no luck in convincing him.

She packed up the Clear Tupperware containers of Pot Roast and potatoes and one by one slipped them into the cloth sack. Pot roast was one of her favorite meals of all time, and she was already salivating over the opportunity to dig into dinner. The final piece, a lemon meringue pie sat waiting patiently on the shelf in her refrigerator. It was a pretty sweet deal actually, Caroline loved to bake more so than actual cooking, the only problem was that she could never finish all the sweets she made by herself. Alaric happily bulldozed through the remainder of her baked goods without uttering a single complaint. She nimbly picked up the cloth bag at her feet and slid the pie out of the fridge and onto her palm.

She gracefully made her way out of her front door and, setting the bag down at her feet locked it. Alaric was probably gearing her up for another educational film on the civil war, and although she was from Virginia, she couldn't say that the various accounts of sanctioned genocide were all that appealing to her.

Her heels echoed down the hallway as she turned the corner down the staircase and, slowly, to be sure she didn't teeter over, she clunked her way down the steps. She turned the landing smoothly, focusing in on the next step in her journey. She didn't notice anything amiss. In fact she would punish herself severely for not being more perceptive of her surroundings. As she neared the end of the staircase bringing her to Alaric's floor a shout drew her attention.

She registered his face before anything else.

Klaus.

Dozens of water filled condoms rained from the sky. Some hit her, some hit the ground around her but they all managed to burst open and soak her completely. There was no time to react or move, no time to do anything other than realize exactly what was happening. She stared forward in shock, water rivulets sluicing down her face, the bag in her hand growing heavier by the minute, and her pie, covered in water and completely ruined. Somehow she had managed not to drop it.

Fury the likes of nothing she'd ever known welled inside of her. With a calm she did not feel she turned and walked back up the steps making it to the landing leisurely. Klaus had gone, fled like a child after his childish act. There was nothing that suggested he had even been there at all, except for the fact that a trail of water followed Caroline's every step. Her eyes narrowed in on his door and she moved towards it with steely purpose.

She primly set the bag of food at her feet, as she knocked lightly on his door.

As if he was waiting her the door eased open, leaning one shoulder against the frame and smirking like there was no tomorrow.

And there might not be, not for him anyway.

It was good now that she hadn't taken her mother's advice and bought a gun, because she could kill this man. Easily, and without hesitation.

A mock look of concern filtered over his smug, smarmy face.

"Why sweetheart, whatever happened to you?"

I took her five seconds to react. She cocked back her left fist and slammed it as hard as she could in his face. He bounded back cursing in pain and holding his nose. After a second he recovered, removing his hand and touching his nose tenderly.

"Bollocks! That hurt!" Apparently her move had not affected him the same way it had affected her. Her hand was screaming at her from the assault. A trickle of blood worked its way from his right nostril and he dabbed at it. "You hit like a girl." His words echoed through her mind.

_You hit like a girl. _

A brilliant smile broke across her face and at first he stared dumbstruck, as if he was dazzled by it.

"That looks like it hurts. Here let me help." And with that she smashed her gloriously ruined pie into his face. She didn't stop to wait for his reaction. Simply picked up her bag and sauntered back towards the staircase and to Alaric's apartment.

* * *

**A/N: Decently longish Chapter? Check. Decently Quickish update? Check. **

**I just want to say that the person who reviewed this story as Niklaus Mikaelson has my heart. **

**But seriously. Marry me. I smiled like a fool for like an hour after I read that. **

**Please Review if you are so inclined! I would love to hear what you think about how the story is progressing. Any suggestions on what you want to see? **

**I do use feedback from my readers in order to advance my abilities and my story. My story Farsighted was influenced a ton by my reviewers and their suggestions. **

**Again. Please feel free to review, I try my best to answer them all! **

**LOVES. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

It took every ounce of her self-control not to fly off the handle as, soaking wet, she walked down to Alaric's apartment. She was almost sure steam would start to pour off of her in waves she was so angry. She knocked on Alaric's door mind racing to possible avenues of retaliation. Her hand still stung from the impact of using it to hit the man's face.

For some reason Castration seemed like a fantastic option.

Of all the rude, pigheaded, arrogant, conceited…

Alaric pulled the door opened his token sour expression marring his features. His eyebrows shot up in surprise as he took in her appearance. Everything from her drenched hair to her sodden dripping shoes.

"What the hell happened to you?" She didn't respond as she pushed her was passed him and navigated to the kitchen. "You wouldn't happen to have some sweats or something I can borrow would you?" With a thunk she set the damp bag on the counter.

"Yeah but…" She shot him a look that could make a small child cry and occasionally a snippy vendor. He held up his hands backing away into his bedroom. She did her best to calm herself taking deep breathes as she braced her hands against the marble. It wasn't working; rage mixed with disbelief still shuddered through her like thunder. Did that actually just happen to her? What were they 12? Condoms and pies in the face were so juvenile. If this wasn't her real life she'd probably laugh.

The only problem was that this was real life and the only thing she wanted to do was commit homicide.

Alaric emerged holding a pair of sweats and an oversized t-shirt. He handed her the stack as his eyes fixated on the Tupperware. "Pot Roast!" A portion of her anger slipped away at his enthusiasm and she slipped into his bathroom to change into anything dry. Her gaze found her reflection in the mirror, she looked like a disaster. The kind of disaster where you drank too much and fell into the pool at the biggest party of the year disaster. (It was one time in high school, not her finest moment).

Worst of all was her very expensive dress was wrecked. She knew without a doubt who would be receiving her dry cleaning bill.

Jerk.

When she was finally able to tame her hair into a style that was somewhat presentable she slipped from the bathroom leaving her dress and cardigan to dry across the shower rod. Alaric had already broke into the food and had settled himself in the living room, the main menu of North & South repeating merrily across the screen.

The Civil War. It was always the Civil War. At least Patrick Swayze was something she could get behind. She loaded up her plate before settling on the opposite side of the couch.

He gave her an amused glance as she crossed her legs. "Ready."

"So?"

"What?" She said evasively, her fork picking at her roast.

"Did you take up showering with you clothes on and decided to share the experience?"

Annoyance both at Alaric and Klaus-the-man-whore wouldn't ebb. "Don't even."

He regarded her for a moment before extending his half full tumbler of scotch. Generally she wasn't a scotch kind of girl, and she usually did her best to discourage Alaric from drinking as much as possible. But today… Well today she really really really felt like she needed it. With a cool she never really mastered she took the glass and knocked back the contents in one go. That lasted a total of two seconds before the burn got the better of her.

Her lungs revolted and she coughed harshly sputtering as she tried to hand Alaric back his glass. "You alright?"

She managed to nod through her wheezing but she could clearly see her companion's amusement at her plight.

At least someone here found her life funny.

"It's not funny!"

His amused smirk didn't waiver as he pointed his oversize remote at the TV and pressed play. "Really. Why don't you tell me what happened and let me decide how "not funny" it really is?"

She considered it for a moment as she chewed her food. It wouldn't do her any really harm to tell Ric what was going on. She'd probably just get angry all over again. Who was she kidding? She had never stopped being angry, not from the moment that man moved his things in next door.

"It's my neighbor." She said primly. Searching for a way to start her explanation.

"Your neighbor got you all wet?" He seemed to notice the double entendre after it came out of his mouth. His grimace almost made her want to smile. Especially since he'd never seen how unnaturally good looking her neighbor was.

"Seriously?" She exclaimed in mock shock.

"Sorry I'm around high school kids all the time. I meant… well…" She knew exactly what he had meant.

"Yeah, we've had some differences with him knowing the accepted etiquette of being a good neighbor and well… it has escalated." He gave her a look that spoke volumes. A look that mirrored the look her father gave her when he knew that she was lying and wasn't at the library studying she was actually at the mall shopping with her friends. A look that made her want to go to her room and do her homework without the use of her cellphone for a week. "Fine. It's war."

"Why are you in a war with your neighbor?"

"Because he's an absolute ass that's why. He brings home a different woman every night, they have weird crazy ear shattering sex that practically wakes up the entire floor and he doesn't even apologize for waking other people up. No he gets all defensive about me calling him out for telling him to pipe down. Like it's my fault that I dared to sleep at two in the morning? He puts this note on my door calling me a prude! A prude! Just because the idea of having sex with anything that moves makes me want to barf doesn't make me a prude. So I gave him a box of condoms telling him that I hoped to god he never reproduced. Those condoms ended up on my car, which then ended up plastered on his sliding glass door and just moments ago were used as water balloons and dropped on me in the stairwell. The stairwell? People walk in there! I lost it and I hit him. I actually punched him in the face. He ruined my dress, my hair, and the lemon meringue pie." Alaric's face was murderous.

"That motherfucker." Caroline felt good seeing Alaric's reaction, reassured that she wasn't going crazy and the man was in the wrong. Alaric was truthfully pretty scary when he wanted to be, she would never want to get on the bad side of him in a fight. It cemented her love for this man. For him to be so concerned for her, she made another vow that she was going to find a way to get him to meet up with Jenna, the baker at francois'. "There was pie?!"

Well, that lasted all of five seconds.

She scoffed. "Seriously?!"

"Don't get me wrong I agree that the guy is being a dick and I'd be more than happy to go up there and have a little chat with him if you want me too but…" He took a deep sigh, letting his eyes flick to the tv wistfully. "Caroline your pie's are a work of art."

_Alright,_ she conceded, _he's off the hook for now. _

"Thank you." They both settled into a silence for a moment, picking at their food. "And thank you for the offer but I am perfectly capable of handling what's-his-face myself. "

"Of that I have no doubt."

She glanced at Alaric who gave her a content smile before settling back into the show. Her heart clenched as it always did. Maybe it was the part of her that couldn't stop listening to Frank Sinatra, and watching old musicals, but she couldn't stand to see him alone.

"If you have changed your mind, I was thinking that maybe me, you and…."

"Noooooope. Not going to happen."

She kept silent after that. But she didn't have any intention of letting the matter lie. Oh, she'd find a way for Alaric to meet Jenna. With setting up a man who vowed he'd never be set up and making sure her neighbor suffered as much as he possibly could, she felt more and more like she had descended into the plot of a James Bond movie.

* * *

She had planned for the backlash that her fists of fury would incur. Walking back and forth to her apartment and car was almost like walking through a haunted house. Her spine stick straight she made her way around every corner like there was a man wearing a clown mask with a chainsaw waiting to pounce on her.

The first day nothing happened. She had waited, and waited and waited. But there was nothing.

When day two passed without incident her nerves were on full alert. His monstrous SUV was still parked in the spot designated for 5B. Suspicion crept into every activity, even the ring of her phone terrified her on a few occasions. She almost hit the man bringing her coffee at the corner coffee shop for sneaking up on her. Why was it taking so long to make his move? What in the hell was he planning? Her mind raced, constantly manufacturing some horrible atrocity she would have to come home to that day. When she had made herself dinner that night she had strained her ear for even the slightest sound from the apartment next door. As if a shuffle or a slamming cabinet door would somehow let her know what he was planning.

By the third day she had come to the realization that he was probably not home. Well that and she shamelessly listened to his answering machine, ear pressed against her hallway wall as the garbled voice filtered through to her. "Hey Klaus it's Camille. Let me know when you get back in town, I would love to see you. Ummm… yeah. Talk to you later Bye."

A tension that she didn't even know she had eased out of her.

Peace.

Beautiful. Gorgeous. Silent. Peace.

It was like she traveled back in time to a few weeks ago when Klaus-The-Tool-Bag didn't exist. It was a beautiful morning and she nearly skipped to her car, heading to work a solid two hours early.

She pulled her phone out of her purse as she slid into her front seat, pressing call and starting her ignition.

Moments later a voice filtered through the speaker. "Unless you are on the other side of my door with a huge coffee and two men that look like Chippendales dancers I am going to kill you. And even if that is the case, you still might die."

She rolled her eyes as she checked the street exiting her parking lot. "You wouldn't kill me, you know how your carpet is with stains."

Katherine's voice immediately pepped up. "You're here?"

"No I am not there."

"Bitch. What do you want? Do you understand what time it is?"

Caroline rolled her eyes. Leave it Katherine. "I wanted to know if you were coming to the engagement party at the Chateau Marmont on Friday?"

"Hmmmmmmm…." She could hear some rustling from the other side of the phone.

"Open Bar?" It wasn't the only selling point but it was the one she knew would hook Kat.

"I'm in. But if you try and call me again at this indecent hour I might change my mind."

"Perfect! Call Bonnie will you. I have to go put the fear of god into a caterer."

"Collect their tears of defeat for me."

A snort tore its way out of her. "Will do. Love you."

She hung up the phone, sliding her sunglasses up onto her nose and cranking up the volume on her radio. She knew without a doubt that today was going to be a great day.

* * *

A/N: Soooooooo... About that wait... Yeah. I'm a bit of bia. And well... I didn't mean for it to take that long! Honest!

Please still feel free to read, review, conjecture, and let me know what you think.

I was thinking about doing a scene where Alaric actually does go talk to Klaus despite what Caroline says, but idk...

Idk...

I love you all.

I really do.

LOVES.


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